Dunsmoor

EDNA'S SOUR MILK CORNBREAD ($21) with white cheddar, hatch chile, cultured butter, honey

MUSHROOM-CRUSTED PORK CHOP ($69) with smoked lard, thyme

BRAISED GREENS ($13) with ham hock, pepper vinegar

CHOCOLATE MALT PIE ($17) with sweet cream, cookie crumble

HAND-CHURNED ICE CREAM ($9): Clementine Orange Creamsicle

Went at around 6; it was packed as always. Reservations for a seat at the bar were made a day in advance.

The famous cornbread lived up to expectations. The brown and crispy exterior does not detract. Flakes of salt were clear through butter and honey. Richness of corn suffuses every bite. Green chiles add just a tiny bit of kick. Its real secret is it’s real sweet and rich.

Alas, things underperformed from there. The pork chop crust was very good but the interior was not especially flavorful or moist. Braised greens were a swampy mass of collards in ham hock juice, yet were not especially flavorful either. I did not finish either dish, and not just because I was getting full after arriving on an empty stomach. The pork chop I had at Rustic Canyon a few weeks ago was decisively superior.

The Clementine orange ice cream was good, with a bright, steady flavor. Much better than an orange creamsicle, but the inspiration is clear.

The chocolate malt pie tastes like a chocolate malt. But its generous portion and chunky solidity eventually reminded me of something you might find at a Cheesecake Factory.

The crowd skewed fairly young. You may have to overhear dudes saying things to other dudes like “the last time I saw him was in Paris.” Or a woman saying “I met two other writers who day-trade.” At least it wasn’t that loud.

I realized I’d left my boxed leftovers behind before reaching the parking area north of the building, by the pop-up. I didn’t bother to go back.